Wide Awake! (studio album) by Parquet Courts

From Jboy56 05/12/2022 15:57

Punky-ska! reinvented. ala 2010's. Hard to dislike..

There is some great writing on here and some great songs too. The lyrics are very fun and also give us quite a lot to explore and enjoy. There are some very catchy songs as well which have great rhythms and are so easy to just groove along with them. The vocal is very good as well and is a nice throwback to the artists this group took clear influence from such as the Strokes. However, there are a few songs I do find unnecessary and a bit dull which shouldn't be happening on such a short album. It just seems to be missing that spark that would make them unique and truly stand out as without it the music is quite boring at time. On the whole, this record is quite slow at times but it can also be great. I will definitely not be rushing back to listen to it but when I do come round to listen to it again I will be looking forward to hearing it.

From tgarritsen 02/07/2021 03:12

Lyrically you could argue that it's the album of the decade.

Nice Album, with nice ideas in the songs. But not a highlight to my ears.

From teague 07/08/2020 02:34

Despite being scatterbrained, Wide Awaaaaake! manages to come through with a handful of enjoyable rock tunes.

From Montpejo 04/08/2020 18:52

Highlights:

Almost Had To Start A Fight / In And Out Of Patience
Tenderness
Total Football
Wide Awake
Freebird II
Before The Water Gets Too High
Death Will Bring Change
Back To Earth

Fun, energetic and individual amongst the other punk acts currently on the market, Parquet Courts clearly stands out. Wide Awake! is a great example of how.

Favorite tracks: Wide Awake!, Tenderness, Freebird II

From JoaoMoreira 10/27/2019 23:18

These guys are punk. These guys are pop.
The vocals are great and the instrumental is tight!
Some remind Joe Strummer, others don't.
A good rock'n'roll record in this era where it seems more and more outdated.

90/100

Revitalize post-punk

I put this album among the best Punk albums EVER, really

The genius of Parquet Courts - and his songwriters Andrew Savage and Austin Brown - is to have resurrected the New York Rock that had disappeared since the Strokes. The legacy of Velvet, Ramones, Talking Heads, Richard Hell, Sonic Youth and so many others is one of the greatest things America has ever offered for the world, and it would simply absurd to let the stupidity of the Trump government make us forget what we owe to those artists who valiantly fought for intelligence and poetry. Without ever betraying either his punky origins or departing from his principles of authenticity, "Wide Awake!" offers a new uninhibited version of Parquet Courts, with more catchy melody. This is truly their best album and a classic of 2010's rock. "Wide Awake!" will be the first album of Parquet Courts totally accessible to anyone who is too young to have known the hours of the New York punk scene.

9/10

Best track: "Total Football"